RELATION BETWEEN ANTS. 161 
hill, one part of the colony went, in their 
turn, to the ancient nest, and thence drew, 
as from a nursery, subjects for the new 
city. To judge with what ardour they 
were occupied with their colony, it was 
only necessary to watch the arrival of new 
recruits to the natal ant-hill. They ap- 
proached in haste several ants, caressed 
them individually with their antenne, 
drew them forth by their pincers, and 
actually appeared to propose to them the 
journey. When they saw they were dis- 
posed to set off, I observed them seize 
them by their mandibles, and whilst the 
one destined to be the porter or carrier 
turned about to take up the other it had 
brought over to its views, the latter rolled 
itself up, suspended from the neck of the 
former. All this took place in the most 
amicable manner, passing and repassing 
the antenne over the head of each other, 
with movements little varying from those 
when they are about to take their food. 
It sometimes, however, happened, that 
those who were desirous of the change 
